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Does the IGFA say anywhere, "that all state laws must be observed to be credited? Because its against Ca. law to obtain a fish that wasn't caught in the mouth. They should have gotten cited for not releasing the fish immediately.

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Does the IGFA say anywhere, "that all state laws must be observed to be credited? Because its against Ca. law to obtain a fish that wasn't caught in the mouth. They should have gotten cited for not releasing the fish immediately.

Yes, local laws must be followed.

But the way you say it, if I'm throwing a lure and accidentally snag a fish, I just broke a law?

I'd guess that CA law says that it is illegal to intentionally foul hook/snag, and any fish that is accidentally foul hooked must be released...which is why these guys couldn't keep the fish to have it officially weighed.

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Im didn't realize that they had used a digital scale to weigh the fish. The rules in the IGFA concerning the certification of a digital scale are really rough. They may have trouble getting that scale certified. The IGFA themselves recommend against using a digital scale.

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You might get by with a picture, but putting a stringer on the fish shows retention or putting a fish in the livewell would be considered retention.

Lake Fork has a slot inplace on the lake, 16-24 inches, if it touches the line at 16", and you keep it, its a fine if caught, if the fish is over the line at 24 inches its okay, touching 24" and not over, not okay..

I have caught fish that went 10 lbs on Fork, but didn't make it over the slot, could I hold this fish and show my buddies at camp, legally no. Or the camera is in the truck, and you go back to get it, retaining that fish is illegal.

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Yeah...I don't think it's illegal to snap a few pics and weigh the sucker. It's not like you have to unhook the fish and let it go right away. The question is how long did they hold the fish before releasing it. It sounds like not long although rumors are flying like you don't even know.

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Sorry Cali. :-[ If it was not weighed on certified scales and witnessed, it won't count for anything. I can't believe, even if it was foul hooked, that this so called Big Bass hunter did not weigh it on certified scales anyway. That was plum crazy!!! But, it does let you know that a possible WR might be swimming around in Dixon Lake. Keep on fishing Cali boys!!!!

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I think one of the problems foul hooked aside is that we have not seen a picture of the fish hanging from the digital scale with the read out showing 25.1. I would like to hear from a Cal game warden on the interpretation of the law. I think some people are just jealous that someone has broken the record. Give the man props he caught a TANK.

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He caught a tank all right, but there is no solid proof that it was a 25lber. He blew his chances of staking that claim. A so-called Big Bass hunter should have known better. It's a big fish. But the photo looks like all the other big bass caught in Cali. No photos, no measurements. That's what's fishy about it. I would have taken some sure measures to prove that I foul hooked and released the new WR. You would think Cali boys would have learned that from George Perry's WR issues.

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No need to be sorry rattletrap. We know California has bigger bass than Georgia. We don't need WR status to know that. Sounds like a bit of jealousy to me but I can't blame ya. When was the last 20 pounder caught in Georgia? If my memory is not shot I think it was the bass George W. Perry caught or didn't catch.

Give the man his due. Until proven otherwise we have to see this as the biggest largemouth ever caught. PERIOD.

Rumors are flying around like no tomorrow. It seems like every hour there is a new rumor. I'm not going to get into that because I'm not about to slander anyone. Everyone knows rumors spread quicker than the truth.

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No need to be sorry rattletrap. We know California has bigger bass than Georgia. We don't need WR status to know that. Sounds like a bit of jealousy to me but I can't blame ya. When was the last 20 pounder caught in Georgia? If my memory is not shot I think it was the bass George W. Perry caught or didn't catch.

Give the man his due. Until proven otherwise we have to see this as the biggest largemouth ever caught. PERIOD.

Rumors are flying around like no tomorrow. It seems like every hour there is a new rumor. I'm not going to get into that because I'm not about to slander anyone. Everyone knows rumors spread quicker than the truth.

No jealousy here. It's just funny how a So-called Cali, Big Bass hunter can make so many mistakes. It's also funny how how George Perry's mistakes don't apply here on this recent catch. It starting to look like an at your convenience thing. A photo and witnesses don't make for a WR these days. BTW. George Perry's WR would not stick in 2006 either. I could show you a photo of a big bass with some witnesses and say it's a 25lber. That won't make it a 25lber or a WR.

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Sounds like to me the intentionally hooked the fish wrong and the bystanders saw it and they knew they wouldnt get away with it..If they would have been by themselves I guaranteed no controversy,they would be getting paid..there is a difference between catching and hooking a bass intentionally like it sounds to me..If it is accepted as the wr then I bet we will never see that record broken in our lifetime..So far as cali having bigger fish once again if we stocked lakes with trout like you guys do then we would have mighty monsters also..Seems like pumping up is really prevalent in cali..barry bonds and fish..lol

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After reading up on things I kind of gathered that they believed the foul hooked aspect of the catch would negate and world record status. They decided to weigh the beast and take a few pics anyway because it was so huge. I was under the impression that they weren't even going to submit it for record status until someone said hold the phone, this thing might be recognized anyway. I'm sure in the craziness of this whole situation it would be easy to make a few bad judgements. I think I would have put it in my livewell and called the game wardens and told them that I don't know what to do. I don't want to break any laws but this might be history in the making please advise me of how to handle this. ITS A MADHOUUUUSSSSE!!!

These boys are not slugs, they have been fishing for and catching GIANT bass for years. Maybe they just did what they thought was right. Mac Weakley is not trying to take all the credit, his friends have already caught the same bass, and THEY LET IT GO!

Let's see how things shake out. Maybe Mac is a hero and the poster boy for catch and release. Is there something wrong with that?

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.So far as cali having bigger fish once again if we stocked lakes with trout like you guys do then we would have mighty monsters also..Seems like pumping up is really prevalent in cali..barry bonds and fish..lol

Let's not go down that road agin about stocking trout. That was a long debate on the last post about the wr